This invention relates to the field of chemistry and particularly to the field of producing electronically excited molecules of nitrogen fluoride (NF*).
A molecule is in an electronically excited state when the arrangement of its electrons about the nucleus places it in an energy state above its usual ground state. Molecules such as NF are known to exist in several different energy states. The two lowest electronically excited states of NF* are the NF(a) and the NF(b) states which are generated by the method of this invention.
Electronically excited nitrogen fluoride, NF*, has been produced by microwave discharge of NF.sub.3 molecules. However, NF* is produced in such low concentrations as to limit the usefulness of the method. Additionally, a source of microwave power is required.
NF* has been produced by chemical means. As described by Herbelin and Cohen in CHEMICAL PHYSICAL LETTERS, Vol. 20, Page 605 (1973), NF.sub.2 can be reacted with H, D, or CH.sub.3 to produce NF(a), i.e., H+NF.sub.2 .fwdarw.NF(a)+HF. Although higher concentrations of NF* are produced by the reaction with NF.sub.2, the atomic hydrogen used in the reaction quenches the NF*.
Another chemical method for producing NF* is described by R. D. Coombe in U.S. Pat. No. 4,165,773. According to the Coombe's patent, NF* is formed by reacting fluorine atoms with azide radicals according to the reaction: 2F+HN.sub.3 =NF*+N.sub.2 +HF. However, a need still exists for a more efficient and scalable method of generating higher concentrations of NF* than is provided by the prior art methods.